Articles by Tom Esch

This Thanksgiving it is possible someone will make a comment about something other than the football game or the quality of the whipping cream on the pumpkin pie. Maybe even the recent election. This could be challenging. We are living in highly polarized times, and even the most skillful communicators are challenged when people who…

This is not about guns. I do not know enough about guns to be an activist about guns. I do know about communication. It is about people speaking up respectfully and effectively when something is awry. This is my business. This is info about a confidential app to report warning signs of possible gun violence or…

This is a tough article for me to write. I’ve been putting it off for a while and cannot put it off any longer. I’m nervous because I feel this is mostly a time for us men to listen. And I’m nervous that whatever I say here may be met by some with criticism.

With the holidays just around the corner I bet we’ll all have the chance to witness people doing things that seem odd to us — both at work and home. If we have forgiven them enough, and done enough of our inner work, can ask—with real curiosity and no anger — “What are you doing?” We just might get some useful answers.

Uber is in trouble. After several years of incredible growth things are getting ugly. CEO Travis Kalanick has just announced he’s taking a leave of absence to work on himself and reflect on building a "world class leadership team" in the wake of reports pointing to his company’s toxic culture.

How do we keep our workforce engaged, respectful and working together in harmony? How can you keep your company culture from “going Uber”? Uber’s CEO recently stepped down after a number of crisis moments, all pointing to a toxic work culture and a climate of disrespect. This is a challenge, especially in industries that can’t find a way to pay their entry level workers a living wage.

The whole world knows by now: our President has fired James Comey, the head of the FBI. This was surprising news to almost everyone. It is unsettling. Kind of like the way the election happened: unexpected and dramatic.

We can model the courage to speak up, or to reach out, before things get to the quitting or firing point. Catch it earlier. The first time you have that unhappy feeling in your gut, or see someone suffering, explore what is happening.

This election process was so polarized, so split on values and so full of the less-than-beautiful that the aftermath is challenging. What can we do to make sure we are not letting our feelings rule our interactions?